Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-11-28
A Scene at a Funeral.

A Scene at n Funeral.
The funeral services of Henry P. Hey took
place Saturday afternoon from 400 Spruce
street, LsDroit Park, Washington, and was
interrupted By sensational! expose that is
now the talk of the town. The deceased
was for many years clerk in the first Au.
ditor'5 Office, and was believed to be re.
tired physician. The house in which the
remains lay is neat brick cottage situated
On tie north side of the street, with side
porch overgrown with vines. Mra. Louisa
G.. 3. Wickersham and her daughter, Helen
B. Wickersham, occupied the place, the lat.
ter, aged about twenty-five years. All that
was known of the dead man was that he was
brother of the late Malcolm Hay, of Pitts
burg at one time first assistant Postmaster
| General. Among his associates Dr. Hay
was looked upon as bachelor and he has
never been heard to refer at any time TO g
wife and family. There arose, of course, at
times, some gossip about him and Miss
| Wickersham, and it was believed that they
we're to be married; at any rate, rumor had
| it SO. DR.. Hay died on Thanksgiving day.
The funeral was arranged to leave the house
Saturday afternoon for Rock Creek cemete.
y,
copa church at that place. Friends poured
Into the house in numbers at the appointed
time to take last look at the face of the
dead man. Among those who entered
were two young men, who quietly forced
their way to the side of the casket. The
elder, turning to his brother, suddenly
exclaimed. in tones that caused as great
sensation as If the dead man
had arisen and himself spoke
Here is your father, brought 10 this
! through these infamous women, and l want
| these people to know that we are his sons,
and have been refused every detail as 20 the
circumstances OF his death and funeral and
concerning his spiritual welfare. Ispeak in
justice to the community, which has been
grossly deceived as TO the relations existing
between ny father and these women, Helen
3 Wickcrsbem and her mother. They have
wrecked q once happy family and brought
sorrow and irretrieyeble sfiliction upon q
loving wife and aflectionete children
The words fell like thunder clap upon
| the assembly, who thought the young map q
crank" but bis serious manner soon dis.
abused them. Mrs. Wickershsm and her
| daughter were upstairs at the time getting
ready TO 90 to the church. The undertaken
! fearing further trouble closed the cask ct and
made arrangements for an immediate start
for the cemetery. The two young men
started to enter :. hack, when Mrs. Wicker
sham objected, and lady who had heard
the elder brothers. speech took them into her
carriage. Rev. DR.. Buck, OF Rock Creek
Parish, conducted the services, assisted by
Rev Mr.. Geop, of New jersey. AZ the re
mains were borne from the church (which is
/ located il the center of the cemetery to the
grave. the Young mer followed behind the
cGsket.
". Il. Hay. the elder brother, when seen
after the funeral, spoke aa follows about the
matter: TT is sad story My father was a
clergyman in the Episcopal Church, and in
1883 was rector of the Church of the Good
Shepherd, at Rosemont, in thu suburbs OF
Philadelphia, where the Wickershams then
lived In January of that year he deserted
,uv mother and went 10 Cincinnati with Mics
Helen B. Wickersham. They went TO differ
ent places together, and the matter was re
ported TO Bishop Stevens, of the diocese OF
Eastern Pennsylvania, and the bishop sns'
oended him from the exercise Of his priestly
Office for q period of six months, and at the
end OF that time he deposed him hpally from
the ministry. He went to England at one
time and entered upon church work, but
desis,ed when Bishop Stevens corresponded
with the church authorities there. 1t was
while his brother Yves assistant Postmaster
General, he came to Washington and tried
to get place, but my uncle would not rec
ognize him or have anything to do with him
on account of his desertion of my mother
Iu 1855 my mother was granted divorce
from him. and the ground alleged in the
bill wps adultery with Miss Wickersham
While the family were all away from home
one time father came home and took all the
furniture out of the house, and when l wen
up there to see his remains / recognized my
mothers furniture that had been familiar
with ever since knew anything. They re-
fused to even let me enter the house, but
was determined to assert my rights and tt
let the people among whom they have beer
living know just what kind Of women these
are that have used their influence to wreck
} my fathers life and home. 1 understand
that he bought the house they lived il
out there, aud put it in Miss Heen's name
and he made will, under their undue in.
flueuce, and left all of his personal property
to her,
Miss Wirkersham is a very attractive per
son, and all that she would say was that n
dependence could be put in the young man.
statements. She declined to talk about Mr.
Hays desertion of his family. A Mr.. Stew
art. who was present at the scene, was asSel
for, but the information was given that b!
had gone back to Philadelphia.
$500 Reward
The former proprietor of DR.. Sage's Cat
arrh Remedy, for years made standing